Monday, March 20, 2017

Start Local, Represent a Community

As a goodwill ambassador and having worked at both local and international levels for over 15 years I am frequently contacted by people that are interested in joining us and becoming goodwill ambassadors. I always tell people to try to find local recognition before contacting us to get involved in international missions or international cooperation. The best way to do this is by becoming a representative in your own community for a cause or to represent local tourism or a local city (neighborhood) beautification project.

Goodwill Ambassador Ms. Isatu Timbo Speaks At The Way To Happiness International Convention In Los Angeles

Become a goodwill ambassador in your local community to gain recognition, serve as a figurehead for a business, a community organization, a town, a university, or a city. This report from Inside Jobs based on US Department of Labor statistics explains the employment outlook for goodwill ambassadors and I provided some links at the end for those interested in pursuing it further.

How to become a Goodwill Ambassador

Most Goodwill Ambassadors have no higher education and get on-the-job
training. Think about earning a Certificate or Bachelor's degree to
increase your competitiveness in the field.

Quick Stats

Salary Range: $17,000 – $44,000 Data from U.S. Department of Labor

What do Goodwill Ambassadors do?

A Goodwill Ambassador is a prominent individual in their community or profession who serves as an honorary Diplomat
between entities, like organizations, cities, and nations. If you pride
yourself on being a good friend, you might have a future as a Goodwill
Ambassador.

Common examples of Goodwill Ambassadors are Actors, Scientists, Authors, and Activists
who go on “international friendship missions” to foreign countries,
where they present gifts, offer humanitarian relief, and socialize with
their contemporaries and counterparts. Like these people, it’s your job
as a Goodwill Ambassador to represent one group of people to another for
the purpose of building friendly relationships that will be
economically, culturally, socially, or politically beneficial in the
future.

To accomplish your mission, you typically travel, attend social
functions, participate in roundtable discussions, make public
appearances, do media interviews, and lobby Legislators.

Although most Goodwill Ambassadors do humanitarian work for
organizations like the United Nations, some act as “welcome wagons,”
representing businesses to prospects. In this case, it’s your job to
find and ingratiate yourself with sales leads by presenting them with
token gifts, information, resources, etc. Either way, your job is
“making nice” as a means of promoting peace, prosperity, and fellowship.

Should I be a Goodwill Ambassador?

You should have
a
high school
degree or higher and share these traits:

Team Player:
You're able to listen, communicate, and work with tons of different people.

Trustworthy:
You are known for your personal integrity and honesty.

Social:
You're happiest working on teams or with other people.

Also known at local levels among other locals as:
Welcome-Wagon Host/Hostess

International Ambassadorships (Updated October 2018)

Update Notice: Globcal International is an international civil society organization (iCSO) promoting global citizenship, indigenous peoples, international cooperation and sustainable development for the United Nations under our stakeholdership, as of October 2018 we updated our legal requirements and procedures for new and continuing members who wish to serve as goodwill ambassadors at a professional level in benign non-state and non-governmental diplomatic affairs with international communities and corporations under the formal protocol of United Nations and best practices emulated by some of the most well known international authorities.

Globcal International began a diplomatic corps training and development program which has become standard fare for all natural persons working with global issues internationally with states abroad. The program is recognized by the United Nations internationally as a partner with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as a UNESCO partner and is collaborating with several organizations internationally.

"The formal process for the legal development of our own goodwill ambassadors is proprietary and exclusively for our own members. It is a process that involves investiture, nomination, orientation, assimilation and presentation to world leaders and international public figures resulting in letters patent and/or a letter of credence. Ambassadors are also developed through the building of their authority through notable institutions, recognitions, homologation and apostilles of documents."

New ambassadors are qualified and assimilated individually during the course of their first full year following their investiture as a lifetime member with an appointment as a goodwill ambassador at-large under full diplomatic authority while engaged in their vocation or mission. Once fully engaged ambassadors can be recommended and nominated to international orders, to heads of state for honors, pursue knighthood, be recognized by enclave nations and states, and receive a PhD equivalency in the form of Honoris Causa.

The processes can be costly, each vetting procedure may involve several FedEx packages, an attorney, several notaries and a personal visit to one of our 3000 partner centers in 120 countries before an ambassador can legally become recognized. Those joining must be able to provide documentation of a good deed for which they can be cited; recently or over the past 10 years. (Most classic deed would be rescuing a cat from a tree or another deed and then getting your photo in your local news or tv.)

New applicants should also have a diploma or an equivalency certificate from high school and be at least 45 years of age or older; OR may be bilingual and have a university degree. All new applicants must show a valid passport, a birth certificate and have a verified PayPal account. Current membership programs are described at the Globcal International blog; our exclusive development program is developed to form both local and global representative ambassadors, generally most ambassadors will be qualified to serve and work locally within their own state of residence prior to working internationally.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Countering False Propaganda with Expatriate Goodwill Ambassadors

It had been a beneficial and profitable time for the Government after a few fights against large organized forces. Quite recently many creditable events had taken place to consolidate this view and expression of approval was given on many fronts both local and international including the grant of IMF loan facility.

There were instances where the Government credibility was discussed or disputed, as a result, false beliefs based on illusions were spread and false allegations were made that things wrongly supposed to exist in Sri Lanka. Those judgments were held without actual proof to substantiate its validity. It’s all what one thinks on a particular point thus giving wrong opinions making it a one-sided affair.

Accusations against Government in the war front were made in order to win international sympathy although the Government conducted the war to the best of its ability under difficult conditions according to international rules. However those accusations were not successful due to lack of accuracy and credibility.
To raise funds overseas it is required to register it as a charity. LTTE did not run charities in this country, instead it operated highly sophisticated but clandestine overseas false propaganda machine not only to raise funds but in the process sullied and tarnished Sri Lanka’s reputation and image for over two decades which affected her Tourist Trade. False propaganda quite deceptively led Europeans to a difficult situation; Most of the people who involve themselves in this effort of raising funds overseas are the very people who involve in false propaganda work. Most of them had become citizens of European countries and enjoy those privileges and rights of their respective countries.

They work and live among those Europeans and virtually involve in everything that the Europeans indulge. Some of them are born in those European countries and had never seen Sri Lanka.

Some others may have accompanied their parents and had got their citizenship, live and work there or a few persons inter-marry with Europeans. Despite in major changes their lives, they rarely forget their original roots, their mentality goes back to their origins, even after a lapse of two three decades; their wish is to help their people back in Sri Lanka. They take these matters seriously. Therefore, it is not uncommon for these groups to support false propaganda and fund raising.

These are the very people who managed to bring traffic to a complete halt in major city in Western Europe. The expenses to control their sheer numbers and maintain law and order cost a few million pounds.
Sri Lanka had effectively convinced both India and the USA that it had done a great services by beating the stubborn LTTE. On the other hand both countries would prefer not to see terrorism held high in Sri Lanka and preferred Sri Lanka stays as a friend of both countries. Sri Lanka’s position had to be considered as a ‘favorable’ one during the high level talks between Dr. Manmohan Singh and American State Secretary Hillary Clinton which would have obviously stood well for Sri Lanka’s current standing. India may have intimated her concerns to the USA about LTTE linkages with radical Indian elements as well as Tamil Nadu involvements which could have let loose a possible wave of political unrest within the Indian sub continent, a distinct possibility.

All in all Sri Lanka’s future looks extremely favorable for investment and tourism provided tourism recovers from the temporary hiccups concerning the lucrative European market.

Also Sri Lanka’s ostentatious display of LTTE’s recently found huge arms stocks that were buried and uncovered pointed out a signal to the world that they should not repent over the complete annihilation of terrorists.

In the meantime we hear overseas reverberations and news that a new leadership is to emerge. These groups have not abandoned their quest for fighting, eager for revenge, another method or cause to fight.
Whilst Sri Lanka enjoyed and danced on the streets and villages over the Forces victories the euphoria went on over two weeks showing the ‘people’s power’.

But Sri Lanka lacked ‘people power’ overseas where it matters the most.

Remember where the traffic came to a dead halt in a major European city? Generations of false propaganda aided by anti-demonstrations promoted obstinate opinions about Sri Lanka.

The pro demonstrations sadly lacked cause to have a specified direction or target. There was no control, management or command and it was easy for all Europeans, all over Europe to make certain judgments without actual proof. They observed what they were given to watch. Then it was up to the pro elements to perform their home work, be present and participate in sheer numbers to influence the losing balance in the apparatus where debits and credits are given accordingly. Thus Europeans think twice before making those obstinate opinions simply, because they are then confronted with two “people powers” and not one.
“Expatriate people power to be reckoned with” Finding ways and desired course of action to combat and eradicate false propaganda and other issues that affect the tourism trade etc had been one of the difficult tasks Sri Lanka had faced during the last few decades. It cannot be tackled by negotiations or any other method due to the fact they occur overseas. There are not many answers to this problem. Even though the war is over, it walks with its head held high knowing Sri Lanka’s weakness in this area.

But now this menace is to be met with an opposing menace which is to be introduced in this article.
Establishing Vigilante groups among expatriate communities: Vigilante groups are generally people who perform voluntary work for the welfare of a community. In this case it is done for the sake of Sri Lanka’s future aspirations and goals which need to be addressed.

Finding a durable solution, bring a concept that can bring answers to specific questions; the country is faced with, a problem not commonly found, but also difficult to cope with by force or by negotiation, similarly if the answer was easy any successive government may have attempted by finding a solution by now. This means finding a solution is not easy.

This writer merely bringing two concepts in anticipation hoping they are the right answers or solutions for the problem and other than that no other expectations or involvements intended.

Vigilante groups are self-appointed, they are perceived to be of good character and good watchers, they watch carefully, pay attention to, good at observing remarks, Quick at noticing and ability to keep things under observation, wait alertly before reporting. They could also be described as unofficial guardians of people rights.

Firstly the concept of such a service may have to be taken by the Government who would make evaluations independently of its viability and practicability in terms of its overseas policies

In any case if this concept is not desirable, another concept to be considered. Expatriates to work as “goodwill Ambassadors” This scheme does not require official sanctions. It is up to the Sri Lankan groups, Associations, Societies and rights groups to come forward and help Sri Lanka at this hour.

The work of a goodwill ambassador can be classified as people who voluntarily offer a service promoting goodwill and friendly feeling among people. The intention that goodwill results. A goodwill ambassador is one who behaves well, having the right and desirable qualities. He or she could be proper, expedient and a morally correct person

In this instance the Goodwill Ambassador’s main task would be to provide promotion of Sri Lanka Tourism, her potential as a safe tourist destination and he or she counters false propaganda. Carry a little hand book or an eye catching little brochure giving a brief story about Sri Lanka’s “Big Miracle”. There are capable and talented special writers in Sri Lanka to do this, the goodwill ambassador has to be pleasant, efficient and a thorough person. Above all a person with all honesty to perform such a task. He or she is also subject to answer questions about Sri Lanka’s conflict.Sri Lanka would like to hold the lucrative European tourist market in a ‘tight embrace’ and now this had been further strengthened by the Government by banishing the menace of terrorism. Our intense effort and approach should not only be dynamic but also perceived by real performance, clear vision and definite goals orientated

We must prevent and take the necessary safeguards to eliminate any attempts by our opponents to strangle our economy by affecting the tourist trade. Tourism from Europe had been our backbone, any attempts to prevent us from becoming a big player in this region could only be achieved by pure performance. Europeans do have choices to select a safe destination to travel, to have a good holiday. In life Europeans set targets to achieve, to save money like every one else and work harder knowing that a holiday is not far off and looking forward to recharging their bodies and minds.It is therefore up to us to make that holiday a happy memorable one

Europeans think very seriously about having a holiday every year. A holiday has become a customary thing. Once you get to know a tourist, you get the message he or she is eager to know more about the conflict and there is no point if the interest to know has been overtaken by other interests, means there is no point talking about that subject.

Every tourist who comes to Sri Lanka has some knowledge coupled with different opinions about the war which they are entitled to form themselves. It is true that the Government did not enjoy the option to engage in a war. But if that option was not taken the Government would be blamed or find themselves at fault for breaking people’s mandate given to it.